Understanding compliance in physical activity behavior change support systems. The role of persuasive systems design and prompt types
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
L10
Topic of the dissertation
Understanding compliance in physical activity behavior change support systems. The role of persuasive systems design and prompt types
Doctoral candidate
Master of Philosophy Akon Obu Ekpezu
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Oulu Advanced Research on Service and Information
Subject of study
Information Processing Science
Opponent
Ph.D Sari Kujala, Aalto University
Custos
Professor Harri Oinas-Kukkonen, University of Oulu
Understanding compliance in physical activity behavior change support systems. The role of persuasive systems design and prompt types
Behavior change support systems (BCSS) promote physical activity, health, and well-being. Yet, their long-term effectiveness is hindered by poor user compliance. Moreover, the
determinants of compliance with BCSS remain unclear.
This dissertation investigated how and to what extent persuasive systems design (PSD) features and prompt modality influence compliance with physical activity BCSS. Using quantitative research methods, this dissertation achieved the following: it synthesized existing trends in BCSS compliance-related research; proposed a model that examined how PSD features influence users’ evaluations of the system, which in turn affects their willingness to comply; compared the role of visual-text and verbal-audio prompt types on compliance and emotional responses within a persuasive virtual reality environment (PVRE); and explored the transferability of compliance drivers from conventional to virtual reality (VR) BCSS.
With PSD features (social support, credibility support, primary task support, and dialogue support) as the base constructs in the model, the findings demonstrated how they influenced perceived competence, perceived effectiveness, perceived enjoyment, perceived persuasiveness, and ultimately perceived compliance. The model demonstrated a similar variance in the VR and conventional BCSS. Multi-group analyses indicated that dialogue support influenced perceived effectiveness differently for prospective vs. active BCSS users, and that females in VR derived greater value from primary task support and dialogue support than males. Results of an independent samples t-test showed that those who received visual-text prompts demonstrated significantly higher compliance rates than those who received verbal-audio prompts ( 𝑡 (266) = 2.14, 𝑝 = 0.03). Chi-Square test showed statistically significant differences in sentiment distribution across both groups on participants’ overall impressions of the PVRE χ² (2, N = 262) = 7.90, p = 0.01 and emotional response to the prompts χ² (2, N = 262) = 6.65, p = 0.03.
This dissertation extends the PSD model and demonstrates its explanatory power in VR and conventional BCSS. Overall, it posits that fostering positive user evaluations through well-designed PSD features are pertinent to increasing the perceived persuasiveness of a BCSS and achieving long-term compliance. Yet, the intention-behavior gap remains a challenge.
determinants of compliance with BCSS remain unclear.
This dissertation investigated how and to what extent persuasive systems design (PSD) features and prompt modality influence compliance with physical activity BCSS. Using quantitative research methods, this dissertation achieved the following: it synthesized existing trends in BCSS compliance-related research; proposed a model that examined how PSD features influence users’ evaluations of the system, which in turn affects their willingness to comply; compared the role of visual-text and verbal-audio prompt types on compliance and emotional responses within a persuasive virtual reality environment (PVRE); and explored the transferability of compliance drivers from conventional to virtual reality (VR) BCSS.
With PSD features (social support, credibility support, primary task support, and dialogue support) as the base constructs in the model, the findings demonstrated how they influenced perceived competence, perceived effectiveness, perceived enjoyment, perceived persuasiveness, and ultimately perceived compliance. The model demonstrated a similar variance in the VR and conventional BCSS. Multi-group analyses indicated that dialogue support influenced perceived effectiveness differently for prospective vs. active BCSS users, and that females in VR derived greater value from primary task support and dialogue support than males. Results of an independent samples t-test showed that those who received visual-text prompts demonstrated significantly higher compliance rates than those who received verbal-audio prompts ( 𝑡 (266) = 2.14, 𝑝 = 0.03). Chi-Square test showed statistically significant differences in sentiment distribution across both groups on participants’ overall impressions of the PVRE χ² (2, N = 262) = 7.90, p = 0.01 and emotional response to the prompts χ² (2, N = 262) = 6.65, p = 0.03.
This dissertation extends the PSD model and demonstrates its explanatory power in VR and conventional BCSS. Overall, it posits that fostering positive user evaluations through well-designed PSD features are pertinent to increasing the perceived persuasiveness of a BCSS and achieving long-term compliance. Yet, the intention-behavior gap remains a challenge.
Created 31.10.2025 | Updated 3.11.2025